DIY Energy Audit

February's Sustainable Living Tip

Use cold weather to your advantage by conducting your own home energy audit. When the temperature drops, spend some time feeling around doors, windows and exterior walls for cold air entering your home. Keep a checklist of areas you have inspected and problems you've found.

Do-It-Yourself Home Energy Audit

1. On a sunny day, go outside and note which way is south. Check to make sure that trees and bushes on the southern side are not overgrown; you want as much sunlight reaching your house as possible. Remove screens in southern-facing windows that receive sun. This will allow more sunlight into your home. Make sure drapes on southern windows are open during the day and closed at night.
   
2. If there is snow on your roof, observe the melt pattern. Note whether you have ice dams forming along the edge of your roof. Ideally snow should melt from the edge of the roof up. If snow is melting higher up on your roof but remaining around the edges, you are losing heat through your attic.
3. Observe how water comes off your roof. Rain and snow melt should be directed away from your foundation.
4. If you have storm windows, check to make sure that they are closed and tight. Note any needed repairs.
5. If you have a dryer vent, check it to make sure it closes to prevent cold air from back drafting into your house. Also check for lint build up and clean it out if needed.
   
6. Check every exterior door to your home for weatherstripping. From the inside with the door closed, feel around the entire perimeter of the door for drafts. Make a note to replace weatherstripping or door sweeps if necessary.
7. Examine windows for drafts. Consider building interior storm windows for those that feel cold.
8. If you have a basement, check the exterior wall for holes and drafts. Look for a gap between the foundation wall (usually rock, brick or concrete) and the sill plate (the piece of wood on top of the foundation wall). This gap should be caulked or foamed. If you can see the space over the foundation wall between floor joists, make sure each of these boxes contain the proper type of insulation. They should be filled with rigid insulation, foam, cotton batting or bagged fiberglass. They should not be filled with loose fiberglass; it allows too much airflow. Make a note to foam around any pipes that penetrate the foundation wall. If you have a bulkhead door, it should be insulated and weatherstripped. If you have any basement windows, make sure that they are all closed and latched.
9. If your boiler or water heater is in an unheated basement, crawl space or garage, make sure that all pipes are wrapped in insulation.
10. If your basement is unheated, check for insulation in the basement ceiling. A vapor barrier should be on top of the insulation, toward the heated space. If the vapor barrier is on the bottom (on the cold side, toward the basement), make a note to fix it. Vapor barriers should always go on the warm side of the insulation.
11. If your basement is heated, make sure that the basement walls are insulated.
12. In the heated parts of your house, check exterior wall electrical boxes and light switches for drafts. Install gaskets to prevent air from blowing through these openings.
13. Feel for drafts along baseboards. Use clear caulk to seal any gaps between the floor and the wall.
14. Make sure that all thermostats are set to the correct temperature. Consider installing programmable thermostats that will automatically turn down the temperature when you are at work or sleeping. You can usually set back your thermostat to 55 degrees without discomfort or risk.
15. If you have a fireplace, check to make sure your flue is completely closed. Consider using a chimney pillow to seal it off when not in use.
16. If you have an attic hatch, make sure it is insulated and securely latches against weatherstripping to prevent warm moist air from entering your attic.
17. Look for light fixtures, especially recessed lighting, that may allow warm air to leak into your attic. All holes in your ceiling should be caulked if possible.
18. If you have any combustion appliances in your house, including a boiler or a gas stove, consider installing a carbon monoxide monitor in your bedroom. This will alert you to unhealthy concentrations of CO, which is a by-product of combustion.
19. Make sure you have working fans in your kitchen and bathrooms to vent moisture to the outdoors. It is important to exhaust moisture from cooking and showers to the outside. Otherwise, this moisture may be trapped in your walls or ceiling and cause mold problems. You want your home to be warm and dry (relative humidity below 60 percent).
20. If you can access your attic, check to make sure that you have a vapor barrier under the insulation (toward the warmth). If you have fiberglass insulation, the vapor barrier is the kraft paper. It should be on the bottom of the insulation, toward the heated part of your house.
21. Look for areas where air is flowing into your attic. If you have fiberglass insulation, you can often see dust in the fiberglass where air is blowing up from below. Caulk or foam as many of these air leaks as possible. Common problems include holes cut for electrical and plumbing work. These holes should be sealed with caulk, rubber gaskets or foam.
    
22. Check that you have at least 16 inches of insulation in your attic. If you have less than this, consider blowing in cellulose on top of your existing insulation.

Environmental Happenings

F.W. Horch hours: Mon by appointment, Tue-Sat 9:30-6, Sun Closed.

Global News

On January 28, the United States informed the United Nations that we will "associate with" the Copenhagen Accord. Our emissions reduction target by 2020 is "in the range of 17%" less than the baseline year of 2005.

Fifty-five countries, including all European Union countries as well as China, Japan, India, Russia, Brazil and Indonesia, have formally made pledges. China and India promised to reduce their carbon intensity, while the U.S. and other countries pledged to reduce actual emissions compared to a base year or compared to "business as usual."

According to Leo Johnson, PricewaterhouseCoopers partner for Sustainability and Climate Change, "The Copenhagen Accord pledges are relatively unchanged from those made prior to the Copenhagen Summit. At 9.7 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent, the pledges total just under half the [...] reduction required from business as usual to stay on the low carbon pathway. There is still a big gap between the pledges and the 2 degree pathway."

State News

The implementation of a major home energy efficiency program in Maine was announced in January.

Funded by a federal grant through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the state-run Home Performance Program will offer incentives of up to $3,000 for the first 4,000 qualifying home weatherization projects for all income levels. Details are available at

http://www.efficiencymaine.com/residential_programs_mhp.htm

Local Events

Wednesday and Saturday mornings - Farmer for the Morning, 10 am, Wolfe's Neck Farm, 184 Burnett Road, Freeport. You and your pre-schooler are invited to have fun helping with chores and getting to know the animals. After chores, have story time in the Haze Hut. On Wednesdays, enjoy a farm- or nature-themed craft project. Families may purchase a season pass, which allows kids to develop a relationship with the Farm and the animals over several seasons. No reservations required. $5/child/session. Season pass $40/child. For more information, call 865-4469.

Saturday and Sunday, February 6 and 7 - NRCM documentary film on Maine Public Television. The Natural Resource Council of Maine's documentary film, "Protecting the Nature of Maine: Fifty Years of the Natural Resources Council of Maine," will be broadcast on MPBN three times during the month of February:
* Saturday, February 6 at 11:00 a.m.;
* Sunday, February 7 at 1:30 p.m.; and
* Sunday, February 28 at 10:30 p.m.
The half-hour documentary was produced entirely in Maine and features stunning footage - from Rockport’s Beech Hill to Mt. Katahdin, Moosehead Lake, Acadia National Park and beyond. The Maine Public Broadcasting Network includes: WCBB Augusta Channel 10, WMEM Presque Isle Channel 10, WMEB Orono Channel 12, WMEA Biddeford Channel 26, and WMED Calais Channel 13. For a sneak preview, see the trailer and more at http://www.nrcm.org/NRCM_film.asp

Saturday, February 6 - Canning Skills: Roasted Garlic Jelly, 10 am - 12:30, Wolfe's Neck Farm, 184 Burnett Road, Freeport. Learn (and do!) the basics of water bath canning, and go home with a jar of a delicious preserves. Fee: $20. Materials Fee $3. Work trade option available. For more information, call 865-4469.

Monday, February 8 - "Your Home: Questions & Answers" with Dewitt Kimball, 7 - 8 pm, Freeport Community Library, Community Meeting Room, 10 Library Drive, Freeport. Your home ~ it's one of the most important investsments you have. At this free question and answer session with Dewitt Kimball of Complete Home Evaluation Services in Brunswick you can get answers & learn more about a broad range of home ownership topics. Wondering about mold in your home & how to eliminate it safely? Would you like some Do-It-Yourself ideas of how to make your home more energy efficient and less expensive to heat? Wondering what it means to live "green" and how to make your living environment more green? Dewitt has an extensive background in the building profession and environment studies. He is a certified home inspector specializing in a wide variety of energy and safety related issues.

Tuesday and Wednesday, February 9 and 10 - 9th Annual Soil Quality Conference: Bringing Life and New Understandings to Agriculture, 8:30 am to 5 pm, Bangor Motor Inn, 701 Hogan Road, Bangor. Speakers: Joel Salatin, Norman Uphoff and Paul Hepperly. Presented by The Heart of Maine RC&D. Cost includes handouts, refreshments and lunch each day: delicious, locally grown food from farmers you know! Registration: $145 per person / $240 two people from the same farm. To register, pay online at: www.heartofmaine.org. For more information, please contact Heart of Maine Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D) at 947-6622 x 142 or tessa@heartofmaine.org.

Wednesday, February 10 - On Deposit: Maine Vessels and the 19th Century Guano Trade, 7 pm, Bath City Hall Auditorium, 55 Front St., Bath. Join Friends of Merrymeeting Bay (FOMB) as Local Maritime Historian, Bud Warren, shares some lesser-known but colorful chapters in our nation’s maritime history. For thirty years or so the Guano Trade kept a number of Maine ships in service and made fortunes for those involved. But then, as so often has happened to "inexhaustible" supplies of natural resources which have been there for the taking, the guano ran out and the trade faded into history. To receive more information on FOMB’s programs call Misty Gorski, Executive Coordinator, Friends of Merrymeeting Bay, at 737-8508 or fomb@gwi.net.

Thursday, February 11 - Seed Starting Workshop, 7 pm, F.W. Horch, 56 Maine Street, Brunswick. Come learn learn how to start garden seeds and build your own low-cost light stand. "We'll show you how to grow an indoor salad and at last have real baby greens!" says master gardener volunteer Brett Thompson, who will be conducting the workshop. For more information, please call (207) 729-4050. Free and open to the public.

Tuesday, February 23 - Citizen Action Day, 8:30 am - 2 pm, NRCM, 3 Wade Street, Augusta. Learn firsthand from Natural Resource Council of Maine staff about their priorities for the upcoming legislative session, participate in the legislative process by meeting your legislator during our visit to the State House, and meet other NRCM members and activists who care about Maine’s environment. A tentative schedule (subject to change):
* 8:30-9:00 am Arrive at NRCM’s office
* 9:00-9:15 am Brownie Carson, NRCM’s executive director, welcomes you
* 9:15-10:00 am NRCM project leaders provide an overview of environmental priorities
* 10:00-10:30 am Expert advice on speaking with your legislators
* 10:30 am Walk to State House for brief tour. NRCM staff will help you find your legislators.
Then back to NRCM for lunch and debrief. Expect to wrap up between 2 and 2:30 pm. To participate, please contact Leisa Dennett at leisa@nrcm.org or 430-0111.

Tuesday, February 23 - "The End of Suburbia: Oil Depletion and the End of the American Dream", 7:30 pm, Frontier Cafe, Brunswick. Suburbia, and all it promises, has become the American Dream. As we enter the 21st century, serious questions are beginning to emerge about the sustainability of this way of life. With brutal honesty and a touch of irony, The End of Suburbia explores the American Way of Life and its prospects as the planet approaches a critical era, as global demand for fossil fuels begins to outstrip supply. Tickets cost $5; a work exchange at Wolfe's Neck Farm in Freeport is an option.

Thursdays, February 25, March 4, 11, and 18 - Top Bar Beekeeping 101, 6 - 8:30 pm, Freeport Adult Education. Here's your chance to get the buzz on why top bar beekeeping is so green... and why it makes sense, AND get a good close look at the Gold Star Top Bar Hive. Registration is required. Gift Certificates are available. Tuition Fee is $75 (non-RSU5 $85). For details, call Christy Hemenway at 449-1121.

Friday, February 26 - How Permaculture Can Save Humanity and the Planet, but Not Civilization, 6:30 pm, greater Portsmouth area (location being confirmed). Toby Hemenway, author of the acclaimed "Gaia's Garden: A Guide to Homescale Permaculture" will be giving an evening lecture co-sponsored by the Portland Permaculture Group and the newly formed Greater Seacoast Permaculture Group. In his talk Toby will examine the question of whether "Sustainable Agriculture" is an oxymoron. Feeding ourselves is not only central to our culture but central to our survival and this will be a rich look back as well as a look forward at the options and pathways before us. Attendees will gain a solid understanding of basic permaculture concepts as well as the context within which it is experiencing a renewed interest. For details, please visit http://www.meetup.com/portlandpermaculture/

Sunday, February 28 - Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) and Community Supported Fisheries (CSF) Fairs, 1 to 4 pm, statewide. Come to one of the 12 fair locations statewide to learn about buying a share, become acquainted with local seasonal foods, meet your local farmers and fishermen, and discover how you can grow a relationship with them. (Community Supported Fisheries may not be represented in all locations.) The fairs are sponsored by Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association, the Maine Council of Churches, and local organizations at each site. Free admission. Each location will have its own local flavor including local produce and other farm products, light refreshments featuring local, seasonal foods, a Seafood Throwdown cooking competition with local chefs and more. For more information, contact Melissa White Pillsbury, MOFGA's Organic Marketing Coordinator, by email at melissa@mofga.org or by phone at 568-4142.

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Local permaculture groups in Brunswick and Portland have several events planned. You can learn more about these groups and their events using the Meetup web service. Check them out at

• http://www.meetup.com/Brunswick-Permaculture/
• http://www.meetup.com/portlandpermaculture/

For more news about Maine's environment, check out Maine Environmental News

Seed Starting Workshop

We will host a seed starting workshop, "Grow Your Own Organic Food," by master gardener volunteer Brett Thompson on Thursday, February 11, from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm here at our store, F.W. Horch Sustainable Goods and Supplies, 56 Maine St., Brunswick, Maine. The class is free and open to the public.

"We'll show you how to grow an indoor salad and at last have real baby greens!" says Brett, a leader in Maine's master gardener volunteer program.

Attendees will learn how to start garden seeds and build a light stand for under $11 in parts. Including shop lights, the total cost is under $40. With this stand one can start seedlings of organic vegetables, fruits and flowers. Class participants will also learn how to plant seeds directly in trays or in paper pots that home gardeners can make themselves.

Space for the class is limited, so those interested in attending are encouraged to call the store at 729-4050 to reserve a seat.

This class is part of the F.W. Horch series on sustainable living. Each monthly talk is held at the F.W. Horch Sustainable Goods & Supplies store, 56 Maine Street, Brunswick, Maine, on the second Thursday of the month.

For more information, please call 729-4050.